Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Monday, December 9, 2013

I was thrilled to find out in July that my picture of some gorgeous peonies flowers taken on Rue Cler in Paris was published in the new Instagram book called This Is Happening by Chronicle Books. If your looking for a holiday gift for an Instagram lover in your life, this might be it.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

This morning I was was able to catch the extraordinary work of Yayoi Kusama's exhibition at the David Zwirmer gallery on West 19th St in Chelsea. For those looking for a cultural treat who live in the NYC area take yourself to see her work. It's mind blowing!

This exhibit is called Manhattan Suicide Addict, a video projection of Yayoi Kusama performing a song she created with her artwork in the background. I found it absolutely fascinating and watched it 3 times.

This exhibit is called Love Is Calling. It's a darkened mirrored room with neon tentacle shapes.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Children, especially toddlers, are really fast movers and have endless amounts of energy which makes snapping that perfectly posed photo near impossible. My 5 year old son is notorious for giving me either a silly face, tongue out or forced oversized grin. Thank goodness for the digital camera right? I snap away without commitment and I know I’ll get a few shots with a natural smile and adorable face. These are a few of my tricks that I'd like to share with you.

Photographer Tips on Capturing Your Child In Action

1. Lighting is key!- The best lighting is natural sunlight. I love it. Soft and lovely. If it’s too bright, you will get an end result of shadows and a toddler with squinty eyes. Shoot in open shade and avoid direct sun. If you take photographs inside, try to do it near a large window that doesn’t have direct light and turn the flash off. If you do use a flash make sure it’s a good one, so the pictures aren’t dark. Also, set your camera to the red eye reduction mode – you can always remove the red eye later with photo editing.

2. Get down on your knees. You need to get down to their level. You don’t want to have all your toddler pictures of him/her looking up -although sometimes that effect is quite good. My favorite lens at the moment is a 50mm. It allows you to get up close and personal. The results are incredible.

3. Shoot lots. – Having your little person sit still and pose for the camera is no easy feat. Toddlers are on the move and move fast. Take a ton of pictures, you may only get one or two amazing shots. Don’t worry about being snap happy, if you have a digital camera you can review your shots and press the delete button. Presto, they’re gone.

4. Background- Avoid shooting backgrounds that are distracting, you want to focus on capturing your toddler. Carry your camera at all times I always carry my camera in my bag. You just never know. Those spontaneous shots are often the best in the bunch.

5. Have fun and go with the flow – Do whatever it takes to make your child smile (use props/toys/food) and put that twinkle in their eye – you may look ridiculous in the process of doing so, but you may end up with a fantastic shot. Not all pictures have to have your munchkin smiling. Remember great photographs come from real moments and those are the keepers.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Last week the hubs and I celebrated our 12 year wedding anniversary. Not bad for two people who only dated for 6-weeks before eloping in Bermuda. Isn't that crazy?

When you know, you know.

We left the kids at home last Thursday and took a 2.5 hour plane ride from NYC to Palm Beach, Florida. We stayed at The Breakers, a beautiful old world hotel that lives up to its reputation. Here are a few snaps of our 4 day vacation.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

1. I adore everything that Serena and Lily has to offer. I especially love that the bedding for a little girl’s room is exotic, happy and fun. 2. Core Fusion is the hardest workout I have ever done, and I can’t get enough. Using your own body weight as resistance, small hand weights and a ton of planks, this workout has my thighs screaming for more. 3. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, a nighttime serum designed to help repair your skin as you sleep—the best part is it smells like lavender. Bliss! 4. The easy breezy clothes from Calypso St. Barth are beautifully made with unique designs. I have so many outfits that never seem to get old. 5. As a photographer, the Canon EOS 7D is hands down my favorite. I love the quality and the sharp images this camera produces. 6. Chic and timeless. I’ve been wearing these lightweight Ray-Ban Aviators for years and won’t stop. 7. These Paumes lifestyle design books from Japan are fantastic. I especially love the Children’s Rooms series. The pictures in these books are eye candy. 8. If I weren’t living in NYC, I would be living in Paris. I love everything about this city—the architecture, the food, the wine, the outdoor markets. I could go on.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Monday, March 4, 2013

A friend of mine is going over to Paris for the weekend and I can honestly say I'm green with envy. I've been thinking a lot about Paris these days. I so miss that city and the lovely light that creates beautiful picture taking.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Today has been one of those days where I wanted to get cozy under warm blankets, read a book and sip tea. My day was not that. Pushing a stroller in the pouring rain and feeling wet was my reality. These are some photos from my phone that captured the mood of the west village in Feb.